Page 1 Fire Station Paid Staffing: Estimates Overview

As you are aware we created a working group to look and prop 172 funds. The main goal was to improve the volunteer fire service in Yolo County. At the start the group consist of Supervisors Chamberlin and Sandy, Fire Chiefs Fredericksen, Klinkhammer, Ramirez, Burns, Stiles, Zane and from the county administration office was Patrick Blacklock and Carolyn Jhajj. Quickly the group realized that each part of the county had different needs. The group also realized that all departments we suffering from lack of volunteers, proper training, equipment and meeting mandated requirements. The group realized that this is not a problem the you could just throw money at and it would go away. It was going need a plan and part of that plan is to get input from the volunteer chiefs themselves. That's why we are meeting today individual not in group form, it is easier to speak your mind in a one on one basis. The group did look at two other county's that we're facing the same issues, the county's were Sonoma and Amador County. Both have switched to a paid/volunteer model. We looked at cost of staffing a paid/volunteer station, the thought was creating a 2 person paid staff with a 3 volunteer stipend firefighter 24 hours A day 365 days a year. They could assist volunteer departments with calls, training, station and vehicle maintenance. We could even look at staffing some volunteer stations certain times. Would you support this type of plan. If no why.? Would you have any suggestions of locations staff stations for this plan? How about mergers, do you have any suggestions about mergers? Do you oppose any mergers? Do you have a plan for your department moving forward and were do you see your department in the next 3 years. If this plan required a quarter cent or half cent sales tax in rural county would you be support. Page 1 Fire Station Paid Staffing: Estimates Overview Staffing Description Battalion Chief: TBD Paid Firefighters: paid staffing would be provided to ensure adequate 24/7 coverage targeting 2 paid firefighters (a Captain and driver) and 1 stipend volunteer/intern for a total of 3 firefighters per station at all times. Volunteer Firefighters: Volunteer firefighters would continue to assist at stations alongside paid staffing. Volunteers could potentially be scheduled at various stations based on staffing need. Administrative Staff: Consider hiring an administrative position to assist all fire stations with fiscal management, cooperative purchasing, scheduling of staffing, and/or operation of payroll/human resources. Estimated Cost Per Position Total Hours Per Hourly Annual Estimated (A nnua I S a I ary . Position B fits] Week Salary Salary Benefits + ene Its Battalion Chief TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD Captain $78,930.24- 56 $18.52- $53,930.24- $25,000 $93,315.52 $23.46 $68,315.52 Firefighter (Driver) $71,592- 56 $16.00- $46,592- $25,000 $81,609.28 $19.44 $56,609.28 Firefighter (Stipend) $18,250- 168 $50- $18,250- N/A $36,500 (24hr shifts) $100 $36,500 Administrative Staff $93,600 40 $30 $62,400 $31,200 Estimated Cost Per Station Paid Staffing # of Staff Total Cost Captain 3 (1 on duty at a time) $236,790.72-$279,946.56 Firefighter (Driver) 3 (1 on duty at a time) $214,776- $244,827.84 Firefighter-Stipend 2 (1 on duty at a time) $36,500- $73,000 Total Staffing Per Station 8 (3 on duty at a time) $488,066.72- $597,774.40 Page 2 Estimated Total Staffing Cost All Fire Stations Regional Coverage (14 Stations)* (4 Stations) Battalion Chief TBD TBD - $6,832,934.08 - $1,952,266.88 - Station Staffing $8,368,841.60 $2,391,097.60 Admin Staff $93,600 $93,600 $6,926,534.08 - $2,045,866.88 - Total $8,462,441.60 $2,484,697.60 - - *Includes all Yolo County fire districts in the unincorporated area that provide direct services (excludes fire districts that contract with the cities for fire service provision). Potential Revenue Estimated S ouree Revenue Prop 172 (20Y<> of Growth Rate) $136,969.20* Unincorporated SalesTax (1/2 Cent) $1,945,000.00** Total $2,081,969.20 *Projected average, over the next five fiscal years, of 20% of the growth rate for Prop 172 funds. **Estimated using Fiscal Year 2018-2019 data. This does not take into account prospective factors that include growth or reduction in the size of the economy or tax base, but is intended to provide a rough estimate. Sales Tax Comparison Municipality Sales Tax % Davis 8.25% Woodland 8% West Sacramento 8.25% Winters 7.25% Unincorporated Yolo County 7.25% *Includes 6% Californiasales tax. Page 3 f· FIRE DISTRICT PROFILE: WEST PLAINFI ELD (STATION 30) The West Plainfield Fire Protection District service area covers 33 square miles in south/central border of Yolo County with an approximate population of 900 people. The District falls under the "control" of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors which means, under state law, the Board can delegate any or all of its power to a Board of Fire Commissioners. The District operates at one fire station (30). SERVICE CALLS FOR DISTRICT 11111 86 "" 83 •• (I in I., 50 • Home District Dispatched ,{\ No Reponse by Home District III Response Outside of District HI 24 '11 \() 2 (\ 2018 2019 STAFFING Volunteers: 7 Paid Personnel: 2.5 APPARATUS Current Apparatus 25+ 0 Total 0 The estimated replacement cost for the 1 apparatus currently 25 years of age or older is $300,000. Page 4 REVENUE AND EXPENSES FY18-19 Revenue Sources* Revenue, Expenses and Reserves Service Charges Other Reserve Funds FY18-19 As of July 1, 2020 I ntergovernmenta I 39% Revenue $603,067.22 Committed I $0 Expenses $494,123.04 Assigned $564,877.86 Investments E/R Ratio 81.93% Unassigned $36,558.07 I 3% Benefit Assessment 0% Fees 0% *Revenue sources in blue represent ongoing stable funding. 2 Page 5 Proposal for Distribution of Proposition 172 Funds To Yolo County Rural Fire Districts I. History On November 2, 1993, California voters enacted Proposition 172, which established a permanent statewide half-cent sales tax for support of local public safety functions in cities and counties. Proposition 172 was placed on the ballot by the Legislature and the Governor to partially replace the $.2.6 billion in property taxes shifted from local agencies to local school districts as part of the 1993-94 state budget agreement. While Yolo County has been receiving monies from the approval of Proposition 172, no funding has ever been allocated to any of the 15 rural fire districts serving Yolo County. The Yolo County Fire Chief’s Association, after gaining agreement from all 15 rural fire districts’ Boards of Commissioners, has requested that Yolo County include the 15 rural fire districts’ in the annual appropriation of monies received under Proposition 172. Yolo County is willing to consider allocating funds to Yolo County rural fire districts but has requested a plan on how the rural fire districts propose distribution and use of the funding. II. Purpose The purpose of this proposal is to propose a funding model for the distribution and use of Proposition 172 funds to the 15 rural Yolo County fire districts. Rural Yolo County fire protection is primarily provided by 15 fire districts. Four of the 15 districts contract with city fire departments to provide service. The other 11 fire districts are considered “volunteer” fire departments. Five of the 11 volunteer fire departments also have some paid staff. Most of rural Yolo County relies on volunteer firefighters to responded and fulfill the critical role of first responders. Rural fire districts are faced with dwindling volunteer numbers and the rising cost of equipment needed to provide services. The Yolo County rural fire districts need funding in order to resolve these issues. The allocation of Proposition 172 funds to the 15 rural Yolo County fire districts will enable each district to improve staffing, training, and the purchase of equipment. III. Proposed Allocation Strategy Currently the Yolo County Board of Supervisors’ allocates annual Proposition 172 funds as follows: • 60% to the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office • 20% to the Yolo County District Attorney • 20% to the Yolo County Probation Department The following proposed strategy would provide funding to the Yolo County Fire Districts while gradually reducing funding to the other three departments listed above: Fiscal Year Strategy #1 Strategy #2 2021-22 8% 5% 2022-23 9% 6% 2023-24 10% 7% 2024-25 11% 8% 2025-26 12% 9% 2026-27 13% 10% 2027-28 13% 11% 2028-29 13% 12% 2029-30 13% 13% PagePage | 16 IV. Funding Distribution Model The following is a distribution model for the total allocation of Proposition 172 funds received from Yolo County. Please refer to the attached distribution example. • Equal Distribution - 70% of the total funds received will be evenly divided between the 15 rural fire districts. • Call Volume - 15% of the total funds received will be based on the average of a district’s 3-year call volume. Each district’s call volume percentage will be calculated by dividing the district’s 3-year call volume against the total 3-year call volume of all 15 rural fire districts. Using a 3-year call volume average, fluctuations based on irregular circumstances are more balanced. • District Population - 15% of the total funds received will be based on each district’s population. Each district’s population will be calculated by dividing the district’s population against the total population of all 15 rural fire districts.

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